Podcasts about Chicago Urban League

ABOUT OUR GUEST:  Bose Akadiri is a Motivational Speaker, Corporate Trainer and founder of Goal and Grind LLC where she partners with high achievers to turn their dreams into their reality using her 5 step Vision and Goals Method(™). Renowned for her dynamic corporate workshops where Bose empowers dreams, elevates teams and transforms organizations. In addition to Goal and Grind, she has led a distinguished career in Corporate Social Responsibility at Boeing, Salesforce, and JPMorgan Chase.  Bose is an IMPACT Fellow with the Chicago Urban League, Ladies of Virtue Board Member, She Shines Honoree by Girls Inc. of Chicago, 40 under 40 honoree by OKC Biz Magazine, Leadership Oklahoma City alumnae and was named by ionOklahoma Magazine as a 30/30 Next Generation of Leaders.    TO GET YOUR COPY OF THE ROADMAP: https://talk.ac/bose?code=EWPODCAST2025 CONNECT WITH BOSE & GOAL AND GRIND Website: https://www.goalandgrind.com Keynote Speaking & Corporate Workshop Topics: https://www.goalandgrind.com/speaking Email: bose@goalandgrind.com IG Page: @goalandgrind LinkedIn Profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/boseakadiri/LinkedIn Company Page: https://www.linkedin.com/company/goalandgrind/ YouTube Channel: @goalandgrind EPISODE AND EMPOWERING WOMEN IN INDUSTRY LINKSBCG Work: Enjoying Work Matters More Than You May RealizeEmpowering Women in Industry MembershipEmpowering Women in Industry MagazineEmpowering Women in Industry WebsiteEmpowering Women in Industry Virtual Events (Including Book Club and Membership Circles) QUOTES AND KEY TAKEAWAYS“I am building the business case for joy.”“Bring more joy, goals, and purpose to the world.”“I believe goal crushing is a team sport.”“Joy is the foundation of goal setting not just the reward.”“I attribute my tenacity and being able to go after it to my mother. She's my best friend, my biggest cheerleader, and my biggest advocate.  She has never asked me ‘why'; she has always said ‘how'.”“We're not trying to place external expectations onto our lives. We are focused on inner joy.”Four Areas of Life:  Personal, Professional, Health, and Financial“Vision and Goals method helps people to be strategic with their life, productive in their career, consistent with their health, and intentional about their finances.” BCG Finding:  Employees who enjoy their work are 49% less likely to be looking for outside employment. Where Bose finds joy:  “I have to pour into myself. Focusing on wins on a regular basis.”

President Donald Trump followed through on a campaign pledge by issuing executive orders that seek to dismantle diversity, equity and inclusion programs in the federal government. Reset talks with Alvin Tillery, director of the Center for the Study of Diversity and Democracy, Northwestern University and Calmetta Coleman, Chief Operating Officer of the Chicago Urban League. For a full archive of Reset interviews, head over to wbez.org/reset.

Two-time Emmy and Three-time NAACP Image Award-winning, television Executive Producer Rushion McDonald interviewed Marcus Sonnier. Founded the BOSS Network is an online community of professional and entrepreneurial women who support each other through digital content, programs, and event-based networking. The mission of the BOSS Network, which stands for "Bringing Out Successful Sisters," is to promote and encourage the small business spirit and career development of women of color. The BOSS Network has had a long-standing commitment to women entrepreneurs. The mission of The BOSS Network is to promote and encourage the small business spirit and career development of women of color. The BOSS Network Celebrated Its Milestone 15th Anniversary?: This year, The BOSS Network announced two exciting initiatives during its yearlong celebration, highlighting its 15th anniversary milestone year.“Invest in Progress” Grant and “The BOSS Impact FundThe BOSS Network is changing how enterprising women are viewed among the masses and becoming a resource for companies seeking female minority influencers as their target market.  Through initiatives, it has supported the careers and small business developments of more than 200,000 women of color nationwide. One of them is BOSS Business University, a digital platform that provides comprehensive mentorship programming through industry business experts. How Has The BOSS Network Celebrated Its Milestone 15th Anniversary?: This year, The BOSS Network announced two exciting initiatives that took place during its yearlong celebration highlighting its 15th anniversary milestone year.“Invest in Progress” Grant and “The BOSS Impact Fund”:The single greatest barrier to success for new businesses and startups is access to capital, and minorities make up less than 1% of founders that get investment.The BOSS Network and Sage (via the Sage Foundation)—the leader in accounting, financial, HR, and payroll technology for small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs), are partnering together to remove that barrier with the return of the BOSS Impact Fund and its three-year, $1.5 million commitment to support the Fund with the “Invest in Progress” grant investing in Black women led businesses.In 2022, the BOSS Network announced the launch of its BOSS Impact Fund, which focuses on investing in Black women led businesses and preparing these entrepreneurs to build scalable, growth aggressive companies. Its goal is to raise investment funding for Black women entrepreneurs over a three year period.Through the “Invest in Progress” Grant Program, 25 Black women entrepreneurs had the opportunity to receive a capital investment of $10,000 toward successfully starting and growing their business in addition to an entrepreneurial mentor program in support of Black women-owned small businesses.The “Invest in Progress” Grant has also provided coaching, curriculum, and connections while removing capital barriers to help this group achieve success.For more information, please visit: BOSSImpactFund.com. Pathways to Success:In addition, The BOSS Network partnered with both Sage and Swoop, a global fintech company specializing in funding solutions for businesses, on the launch of “Pathways to Success”–a new training and mentorship program designed to support Black women entrepreneurs in Atlanta. The Pathways to Success training and mentor program, developed and delivered through Sage Foundation, equipped 150 Atlanta-based Black women entrepreneurs with a structured series of training and roundtables, providing tactical advice to address and overcome financial and capital-raising challenges. The program was developed as a direct result of Sage, The BOSS Network and Swoop's report titled “Voices of Strength: Pathways to Success for Black Women Founders” launched in September 2023. The report identified the most prominent challenges Black women founders in Atlanta face, including a lack of access to funding through grants and government resources, mentorship, and the ability to digitally scale their businesses for growth. Participants will receive one year of training access and a three-year membership to The BOSS Network. The BOSS Network Donating $250,000 to Divine Nine Sororities and the Chicago Urban League: Earlier this year, The BOSS Network announced awarding $50,000 each in grants and scholarships ($250,000 in total) to the Divine Nine sororities—including Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Incorporated; Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Incorporated; Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority, Incorporated—the National Pan-Hellenic Council, Incorporated, and the Chicago Urban League. Four women from each organization received a $10,000 grant from the BOSS Impact Fund and a scholarship to BOSS Business University (valued at $2,500).This investment exemplifies The BOSS Network's longstanding legacy of supporting Black women in the arenas of business and community.The Ladies That Lead Conference: This celebrated annual event honors extraordinary women who have made significant contributions to their fields. Past honorees include the Divine Nine Sorority Presidents, Michelle Williams, Tina Knowles, Beverly Johnson, and other luminaries.   “Invest in Progress” Grant and “The BOSS Impact FundThe BOSS Network has had a long-standing commitment to women entrepreneurs. The mission of The BOSS Network is to promote and encourage the small business spirit and career development of women of color.  Speaker, investor, and award-winning entrepreneur - these are just a few words that describe Dr. Cameka Smith, Founder of The BOSS Network, a community of professional and entrepreneurial women who support each other through conversation, online engagement, and event-based networking. Working towards one simple goal, BOSS® is “Bringing Out Successful Sisters” to promote and encourage the small business spirit and professional development of women. Under Dr. Smith's leadership, The BOSS Network has become one of the fastest-growing women communities, garnering several accolades such as a Top 50 Website for Entrepreneurs (Inc. Magazine), 10 Best Career Sites for Women (Forbes.com) and a top Twitter Account to Enhance Your College Experience (BlackEnterprise.com). In recognition of her achievements, Dr. Smith was listed in Ebony Magazine as a 40 under 40 Entrepreneur, named one of the Top 40 Chicago Game Changers by Ariel Investments, The Network Journal listed her one of their, 40 under 40 Business Leaders, and she was presented with a Brand Star award by Adweek. With a Doctor of Philosophy degree, Dr. Smith developed student academic programs for more than ten years. After being displaced from her job in 2009, she established The BOSS Network to support women in their journey to become independent and successful by utilizing the power of networking and technology. Since then, The BOSS Network has evolved into a go-to resource for companies seeking Black women as their target market. A one-stop-shop for career and entrepreneurial-minded women, The BOSS Network provides its members and partners with professional connections, resources, and marketing and promotional opportunities. As the author of "7 Steps to Grow Your Professional Network," Dr. Smith frequently travels to college campuses with her non-profit, BOSS On Campus, and speaks on career development and leadership topics. She currently resides in Chicago, where she is actively involved in charity work and mentoring youth. In 2022, Dr. Smith launched the BOSS Impact Fund and invested in 35 Black women-owned businesses. JPMorgan Chase honored Dr. Smith during Juneteenth with a leadership award for her work uplifting entrepreneurs in the Black community. #BEST #STRAW #SHMSSupport the show: https://www.steveharveyfm.com/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Two-time Emmy and Three-time NAACP Image Award-winning, television Executive Producer Rushion McDonald interviewed Marcus Sonnier. Founded the BOSS Network is an online community of professional and entrepreneurial women who support each other through digital content, programs, and event-based networking. The mission of the BOSS Network, which stands for "Bringing Out Successful Sisters," is to promote and encourage the small business spirit and career development of women of color. The BOSS Network has had a long-standing commitment to women entrepreneurs. The mission of The BOSS Network is to promote and encourage the small business spirit and career development of women of color. The BOSS Network Celebrated Its Milestone 15th Anniversary?: This year, The BOSS Network announced two exciting initiatives during its yearlong celebration, highlighting its 15th anniversary milestone year.“Invest in Progress” Grant and “The BOSS Impact FundThe BOSS Network is changing how enterprising women are viewed among the masses and becoming a resource for companies seeking female minority influencers as their target market.  Through initiatives, it has supported the careers and small business developments of more than 200,000 women of color nationwide. One of them is BOSS Business University, a digital platform that provides comprehensive mentorship programming through industry business experts. How Has The BOSS Network Celebrated Its Milestone 15th Anniversary?: This year, The BOSS Network announced two exciting initiatives that took place during its yearlong celebration highlighting its 15th anniversary milestone year.“Invest in Progress” Grant and “The BOSS Impact Fund”:The single greatest barrier to success for new businesses and startups is access to capital, and minorities make up less than 1% of founders that get investment.The BOSS Network and Sage (via the Sage Foundation)—the leader in accounting, financial, HR, and payroll technology for small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs), are partnering together to remove that barrier with the return of the BOSS Impact Fund and its three-year, $1.5 million commitment to support the Fund with the “Invest in Progress” grant investing in Black women led businesses.In 2022, the BOSS Network announced the launch of its BOSS Impact Fund, which focuses on investing in Black women led businesses and preparing these entrepreneurs to build scalable, growth aggressive companies. Its goal is to raise investment funding for Black women entrepreneurs over a three year period.Through the “Invest in Progress” Grant Program, 25 Black women entrepreneurs had the opportunity to receive a capital investment of $10,000 toward successfully starting and growing their business in addition to an entrepreneurial mentor program in support of Black women-owned small businesses.The “Invest in Progress” Grant has also provided coaching, curriculum, and connections while removing capital barriers to help this group achieve success.For more information, please visit: BOSSImpactFund.com. Pathways to Success:In addition, The BOSS Network partnered with both Sage and Swoop, a global fintech company specializing in funding solutions for businesses, on the launch of “Pathways to Success”–a new training and mentorship program designed to support Black women entrepreneurs in Atlanta. The Pathways to Success training and mentor program, developed and delivered through Sage Foundation, equipped 150 Atlanta-based Black women entrepreneurs with a structured series of training and roundtables, providing tactical advice to address and overcome financial and capital-raising challenges. The program was developed as a direct result of Sage, The BOSS Network and Swoop's report titled “Voices of Strength: Pathways to Success for Black Women Founders” launched in September 2023. The report identified the most prominent challenges Black women founders in Atlanta face, including a lack of access to funding through grants and government resources, mentorship, and the ability to digitally scale their businesses for growth. Participants will receive one year of training access and a three-year membership to The BOSS Network. The BOSS Network Donating $250,000 to Divine Nine Sororities and the Chicago Urban League: Earlier this year, The BOSS Network announced awarding $50,000 each in grants and scholarships ($250,000 in total) to the Divine Nine sororities—including Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Incorporated; Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Incorporated; Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority, Incorporated—the National Pan-Hellenic Council, Incorporated, and the Chicago Urban League. Four women from each organization received a $10,000 grant from the BOSS Impact Fund and a scholarship to BOSS Business University (valued at $2,500).This investment exemplifies The BOSS Network's longstanding legacy of supporting Black women in the arenas of business and community.The Ladies That Lead Conference: This celebrated annual event honors extraordinary women who have made significant contributions to their fields. Past honorees include the Divine Nine Sorority Presidents, Michelle Williams, Tina Knowles, Beverly Johnson, and other luminaries.   “Invest in Progress” Grant and “The BOSS Impact FundThe BOSS Network has had a long-standing commitment to women entrepreneurs. The mission of The BOSS Network is to promote and encourage the small business spirit and career development of women of color.  Speaker, investor, and award-winning entrepreneur - these are just a few words that describe Dr. Cameka Smith, Founder of The BOSS Network, a community of professional and entrepreneurial women who support each other through conversation, online engagement, and event-based networking. Working towards one simple goal, BOSS® is “Bringing Out Successful Sisters” to promote and encourage the small business spirit and professional development of women. Under Dr. Smith's leadership, The BOSS Network has become one of the fastest-growing women communities, garnering several accolades such as a Top 50 Website for Entrepreneurs (Inc. Magazine), 10 Best Career Sites for Women (Forbes.com) and a top Twitter Account to Enhance Your College Experience (BlackEnterprise.com). In recognition of her achievements, Dr. Smith was listed in Ebony Magazine as a 40 under 40 Entrepreneur, named one of the Top 40 Chicago Game Changers by Ariel Investments, The Network Journal listed her one of their, 40 under 40 Business Leaders, and she was presented with a Brand Star award by Adweek. With a Doctor of Philosophy degree, Dr. Smith developed student academic programs for more than ten years. After being displaced from her job in 2009, she established The BOSS Network to support women in their journey to become independent and successful by utilizing the power of networking and technology. Since then, The BOSS Network has evolved into a go-to resource for companies seeking Black women as their target market. A one-stop-shop for career and entrepreneurial-minded women, The BOSS Network provides its members and partners with professional connections, resources, and marketing and promotional opportunities. As the author of "7 Steps to Grow Your Professional Network," Dr. Smith frequently travels to college campuses with her non-profit, BOSS On Campus, and speaks on career development and leadership topics. She currently resides in Chicago, where she is actively involved in charity work and mentoring youth. In 2022, Dr. Smith launched the BOSS Impact Fund and invested in 35 Black women-owned businesses. JPMorgan Chase honored Dr. Smith during Juneteenth with a leadership award for her work uplifting entrepreneurs in the Black community. #BEST #STRAW #SHMSSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Two-time Emmy and Three-time NAACP Image Award-winning, television Executive Producer Rushion McDonald interviewed Marcus Sonnier. Founded the BOSS Network is an online community of professional and entrepreneurial women who support each other through digital content, programs, and event-based networking. The mission of the BOSS Network, which stands for "Bringing Out Successful Sisters," is to promote and encourage the small business spirit and career development of women of color. The BOSS Network has had a long-standing commitment to women entrepreneurs. The mission of The BOSS Network is to promote and encourage the small business spirit and career development of women of color. The BOSS Network Celebrated Its Milestone 15th Anniversary?: This year, The BOSS Network announced two exciting initiatives during its yearlong celebration, highlighting its 15th anniversary milestone year.“Invest in Progress” Grant and “The BOSS Impact FundThe BOSS Network is changing how enterprising women are viewed among the masses and becoming a resource for companies seeking female minority influencers as their target market.  Through initiatives, it has supported the careers and small business developments of more than 200,000 women of color nationwide. One of them is BOSS Business University, a digital platform that provides comprehensive mentorship programming through industry business experts. How Has The BOSS Network Celebrated Its Milestone 15th Anniversary?: This year, The BOSS Network announced two exciting initiatives that took place during its yearlong celebration highlighting its 15th anniversary milestone year.“Invest in Progress” Grant and “The BOSS Impact Fund”:The single greatest barrier to success for new businesses and startups is access to capital, and minorities make up less than 1% of founders that get investment.The BOSS Network and Sage (via the Sage Foundation)—the leader in accounting, financial, HR, and payroll technology for small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs), are partnering together to remove that barrier with the return of the BOSS Impact Fund and its three-year, $1.5 million commitment to support the Fund with the “Invest in Progress” grant investing in Black women led businesses.In 2022, the BOSS Network announced the launch of its BOSS Impact Fund, which focuses on investing in Black women led businesses and preparing these entrepreneurs to build scalable, growth aggressive companies. Its goal is to raise investment funding for Black women entrepreneurs over a three year period.Through the “Invest in Progress” Grant Program, 25 Black women entrepreneurs had the opportunity to receive a capital investment of $10,000 toward successfully starting and growing their business in addition to an entrepreneurial mentor program in support of Black women-owned small businesses.The “Invest in Progress” Grant has also provided coaching, curriculum, and connections while removing capital barriers to help this group achieve success.For more information, please visit: BOSSImpactFund.com. Pathways to Success:In addition, The BOSS Network partnered with both Sage and Swoop, a global fintech company specializing in funding solutions for businesses, on the launch of “Pathways to Success”–a new training and mentorship program designed to support Black women entrepreneurs in Atlanta. The Pathways to Success training and mentor program, developed and delivered through Sage Foundation, equipped 150 Atlanta-based Black women entrepreneurs with a structured series of training and roundtables, providing tactical advice to address and overcome financial and capital-raising challenges. The program was developed as a direct result of Sage, The BOSS Network and Swoop's report titled “Voices of Strength: Pathways to Success for Black Women Founders” launched in September 2023. The report identified the most prominent challenges Black women founders in Atlanta face, including a lack of access to funding through grants and government resources, mentorship, and the ability to digitally scale their businesses for growth. Participants will receive one year of training access and a three-year membership to The BOSS Network. The BOSS Network Donating $250,000 to Divine Nine Sororities and the Chicago Urban League: Earlier this year, The BOSS Network announced awarding $50,000 each in grants and scholarships ($250,000 in total) to the Divine Nine sororities—including Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Incorporated; Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Incorporated; Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority, Incorporated—the National Pan-Hellenic Council, Incorporated, and the Chicago Urban League. Four women from each organization received a $10,000 grant from the BOSS Impact Fund and a scholarship to BOSS Business University (valued at $2,500).This investment exemplifies The BOSS Network's longstanding legacy of supporting Black women in the arenas of business and community.The Ladies That Lead Conference: This celebrated annual event honors extraordinary women who have made significant contributions to their fields. Past honorees include the Divine Nine Sorority Presidents, Michelle Williams, Tina Knowles, Beverly Johnson, and other luminaries.   “Invest in Progress” Grant and “The BOSS Impact FundThe BOSS Network has had a long-standing commitment to women entrepreneurs. The mission of The BOSS Network is to promote and encourage the small business spirit and career development of women of color.  Speaker, investor, and award-winning entrepreneur - these are just a few words that describe Dr. Cameka Smith, Founder of The BOSS Network, a community of professional and entrepreneurial women who support each other through conversation, online engagement, and event-based networking. Working towards one simple goal, BOSS® is “Bringing Out Successful Sisters” to promote and encourage the small business spirit and professional development of women. Under Dr. Smith's leadership, The BOSS Network has become one of the fastest-growing women communities, garnering several accolades such as a Top 50 Website for Entrepreneurs (Inc. Magazine), 10 Best Career Sites for Women (Forbes.com) and a top Twitter Account to Enhance Your College Experience (BlackEnterprise.com). In recognition of her achievements, Dr. Smith was listed in Ebony Magazine as a 40 under 40 Entrepreneur, named one of the Top 40 Chicago Game Changers by Ariel Investments, The Network Journal listed her one of their, 40 under 40 Business Leaders, and she was presented with a Brand Star award by Adweek. With a Doctor of Philosophy degree, Dr. Smith developed student academic programs for more than ten years. After being displaced from her job in 2009, she established The BOSS Network to support women in their journey to become independent and successful by utilizing the power of networking and technology. Since then, The BOSS Network has evolved into a go-to resource for companies seeking Black women as their target market. A one-stop-shop for career and entrepreneurial-minded women, The BOSS Network provides its members and partners with professional connections, resources, and marketing and promotional opportunities. As the author of "7 Steps to Grow Your Professional Network," Dr. Smith frequently travels to college campuses with her non-profit, BOSS On Campus, and speaks on career development and leadership topics. She currently resides in Chicago, where she is actively involved in charity work and mentoring youth. In 2022, Dr. Smith launched the BOSS Impact Fund and invested in 35 Black women-owned businesses. JPMorgan Chase honored Dr. Smith during Juneteenth with a leadership award for her work uplifting entrepreneurs in the Black community. #BEST #STRAW #SHMSSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Marc Sims speaks with Karen Freeman-Wilson, President & CEO of the Chicago Urban League. Chicago Urban League chiul.org Chicago Urban League's New Empowerment Center https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e4dTomSxMzU

Illinois stands out as a leader in solar development across the United States. Essential to this progress are various solar training programs, notably those run by the Chicago Urban League, which play a crucial role in meeting the workforce demands necessary for the sector's advancement. In this episode of the Rise Up Podcast, Andrew Wells, Vice President of Workforce Development for the Chicago Urban League, discusses the opportunities and challenges of solar workforce development in Chicago. Get Connected: Rise Up Podcast: https://www.riseupmidwest.org The Energy Fair: https://www.theenergyfair.org The MREA: https://www.midwestrenew.org Email: Info@midwestrenew.org 00:00 Andrew Wells Introduction 1:47 The LUV Institute 2:21 Changes in the City of Chicago 4:14 Chicago Urban League's work 7:21 Workforce Development 8:37 Solar job placement challenges 16:12 Illinois Green Bank and Solar for All 19:55 Solar Project Management 25:55 Instructor capacity 29:04 What more is needed 32:19 Closing thoughts ABOUT OUR GUEST: ANDREW WELLS A Chicago native, Andrew is a community advocate and a champion of building more equitable social systems. He is on the Board of Directors for the Love, Unity & Values (LUV) Institute, a member of the Guiding Team for the City of Chicago Digital Equity Plan, and, since 2013, has been the Vice President of Workforce Development for the Chicago Urban League, a nonprofit organization that provides a range of services, including job training, education, and housing assistance. Part of his work with the Chicago Urban League has been starting a solar job training program to expose the new field of renewable energy to the Chicago public. He also led a project for the Urban League to install solar panels onto their building, along with a solar carport in the Urban League's parking lot, making it the largest solar installation project in the city.

House Warming Podcast, Episode 022: Human Composting: A Cleaner, Greener End with Iyana Simba of the Illinois Environmental Council. In this episode, Sarah talks with Iyana Simba about the Chicago Department of Environment (spoiler: it is up and running)!Iyana currently serves as the City Programs  Director at the Illinois Environmental Council where she oversees advocacy, coalition building, aldermanic relationships and organizing related to environmental issues before the City of Chicago. Previously, she has served several roles at IEC including Clean Water Policy Director, Clean Water Advocate and Intern. In her most recent role as Clean Water Policy Director, she oversaw policy development, coalition building and advocacy related to water issues in Illinois. Iyana's work continues to ensure water among other environmental issues are salient to both the public and decision makers.Prior to working at IEC, she attended the University of Illinois at Chicago and graduated with honors with a degree in Public Policy and a Sustainable Cities minor.  Outside of her work, Iyana enjoys engaging in local politics, painting, hiking and traveling. She is also a member of the Environmentalists of Color Network and the Chicago Urban League's Metropolitan Board.Support the Show.

He is #DopePeopleIn this thrilling episode of the Dope People Podcast, we are honored to welcome Mr. Gregory Sain, a luminary in community empowerment and a voice for positive change. Born and raised with a spirit of resilience and advocacy, Mr. Sain has made remarkable strides in various influential roles. As the Director of Community Safety & Relations, he has been a pivotal figure in fostering safer, more connected communities.His journey with the Chicago Urban League as the Director of the Male Responsibility Program showcases his commitment to mentorship and leadership. Mr. Sain's dynamic speaking skills and candid nature have also led him to success as a former radio host at WVON 1690 and WBGX 1570, and as a commentator on Truth Radio's "Butt Naked Truth."As a co-founder of the New Black Leadership Coalition, Mr. Sain has helped to shape dialogues around leadership and community development. His managerial acumen shone through in his role as the manager for comedian, actor, and author Steve Harvey, enhancing the reach and impact of one of entertainment's most recognizable figures.Beyond the professional realm, Mr. Sain's voice resonates in the hearts of many as a motivational speaker. He has been the driving force behind various "Today's Black Women Expos" and Town Hall meetings, using his platform to inspire and challenge audiences. His eloquence and wisdom have also graced numerous graduation ceremonies, leaving a lasting impact on young minds.At the core of his life, Mr. Sain is a proud father and a devoted son, reflecting the values of family and community stewardship. His journey is not just one of success but of profound influence and unwavering commitment to uplift those around him.Join us as we dive into the life and insights of Mr. Gregory Sain – a figure who continues to shape narratives and inspire change. It's anyone's guess what he'll say next, but one thing is for sure – it will be powerful, impactful, and absolutely #DopePeople.Support the Show: To keep up with more inspiring stories like Mr. Sain's, subscribe to our YouTube channel at Dope People Podcast on YouTube. You can also show your love for the podcast with some cool merch from Scott Steward's Merch Store.#DopePeoplePodcast #CommunityLeadership #Empowerment #InspirationalLeaders #GregorySain #Mentorship #CommunitySafety #Leadership #ChicagoUrbanLeague #MotivationalSpeaking #RadioHost #SteveHarveyManager #NewBlackLeadership #CommunityEngagementSupport the showTo show love to the Dope People Podcast, be sure to subscribe to us on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCiD7tgj9ezb7Xuk7IOFHRBg.You can also purchase Dope People merch at https://scottsteward.com/merch

He is #DopePeopleIn this thrilling episode of the Dope People Podcast, we are honored to welcome Mr. Gregory Sain, a luminary in community empowerment and a voice for positive change. Born and raised with a spirit of resilience and advocacy, Mr. Sain has made remarkable strides in various influential roles. As the Director of Community Safety & Relations, he has been a pivotal figure in fostering safer, more connected communities.His journey with the Chicago Urban League as the Director of the Male Responsibility Program showcases his commitment to mentorship and leadership. Mr. Sain's dynamic speaking skills and candid nature have also led him to success as a former radio host at WVON 1690 and WBGX 1570, and as a commentator on Truth Radio's "Butt Naked Truth."As a co-founder of the New Black Leadership Coalition, Mr. Sain has helped to shape dialogues around leadership and community development. His managerial acumen shone through in his role as the manager for comedian, actor, and author Steve Harvey, enhancing the reach and impact of one of entertainment's most recognizable figures.Beyond the professional realm, Mr. Sain's voice resonates in the hearts of many as a motivational speaker. He has been the driving force behind various "Today's Black Women Expos" and Town Hall meetings, using his platform to inspire and challenge audiences. His eloquence and wisdom have also graced numerous graduation ceremonies, leaving a lasting impact on young minds.At the core of his life, Mr. Sain is a proud father and a devoted son, reflecting the values of family and community stewardship. His journey is not just one of success but of profound influence and unwavering commitment to uplift those around him.Join us as we dive into the life and insights of Mr. Gregory Sain – a figure who continues to shape narratives and inspire change. It's anyone's guess what he'll say next, but one thing is for sure – it will be powerful, impactful, and absolutely #DopePeople.Support the Show: To keep up with more inspiring stories like Mr. Sain's, subscribe to our YouTube channel at Dope People Podcast on YouTube. You can also show your love for the podcast with some cool merch from Scott Steward's Merch Store.#DopePeoplePodcast #CommunityLeadership #Empowerment #InspirationalLeaders #GregorySain #Mentorship #CommunitySafety #Leadership #ChicagoUrbanLeague #MotivationalSpeaking #RadioHost #SteveHarveyManager #NewBlackLeadership #CommunityEngagementSupport the showTo show love to the Dope People Podcast, be sure to subscribe to us on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCiD7tgj9ezb7Xuk7IOFHRBg.You can also purchase Dope People merch at https://scottsteward.com/merch

Karen Freeman-Wilson is a Harvard University and Harvard Law School graduate. She was the Mayor of Gary, Indiana for 8 years. She now serves as the President and CEO of the Chicago Urban League. #karenfreemanwilson #harvard #harvardlaw #garyindiana #mayor #chicago #urbanleague #tsc #gogetit  Social Media Links Wrote by Me Site https://t.co/loWDv6eU7x Youtube Channel youtube.com/c/ChipBakerTheSuccessChronicles LinkedIn http://linkedin.com/in/chipbakerthesuccesschronicles Facebook- Profile https://www.facebook.com/tscchipbaker Facebook- Page facebook.com/chipbakertsc Instagram https://www.instagram.com/chipbakertsc/ Twitter twitter.com/chipbaker19 TikTok tiktok.com/@chipbakertsc Linktree https://linktr.ee/ChipBakerTSC Online Store http://chip-baker-the-success-chronicles.square.site/ Chip Baker- The Success Chronicles Podcast https://anchor.fm/chip-baker

The pharmaceutical company Pfizer financed groups lobbying for Covid-19 vaccine mandates, the investigative reporter Lee Fang has claimed. Speaking to UnHerd's Florence Read, Fang discussed a recent report he wrote in which he uncovered the Chicago Urban League's acceptance of a special $100,000 donation from Pfizer that was not publicly disclosed. Fang suggested that such a lack of disclosure could have a particularly negative impact on African Americans, who have historically been victims of medical malpractice in the US. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, Meghan Murphy speaks with Lee Fang, an American journalist who worked as an investigative reporter at The Intercept (as well as for outlets such as The Nation and Vice) before going independent on Substack. He has been reporting on Big Pharma, Big Media, crime in San Francisco, politicized racial narratives, how the DHS and the FBI colluded with Big Tech to police "disinformation," and more. Lee recently broke a story revealing that Pfizer quietly funded community groups like the Chicago Urban League to promote the vaccine mandates. The Same Drugs is a fully independent, listener-supported podcast. Please considering supporting us with a donation, by becoming a patron ⁠on Patreon⁠, or by subscribing on ⁠Substack⁠. You can watch The Same Drugs ⁠on YouTube⁠. You can also support The Same Drugs on ⁠Spotify ⁠or by donating ⁠directly via Stripe⁠. The Same Drugs is on Twitter ⁠⁠@thesamedrugs_⁠⁠. Meghan Murphy is on Twitter ⁠@meghanemurphy⁠. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/the-same-drugs/support

Tonight we discuss post analysis of the Cyber Sambo report; Why the congressional boule is worthless, The Florida Sheriff VS the race soldiers, and why the Botham Jean case is eerily similar to the Botham Jean's familys refusal to call out race soldiers.   Why is the WWE allowing blatant anti black racism? Why is the Chicago Urban League benefitting off the jab? Why are immigrants wagging their fingers at the people who made it possible for them to come here

Thank you for listening to The Forensics Experience. Your listenership means a lot to me, and for those that have told me this in person as they have seen me around tournaments it inspires me to make more episodes But running a podcast is no easy task If I want to accomplish my goal of releasing weekly episodes, I need to allocate time that mimics close to a full-time job which is why I need your support. By contributing as little as 99 cents a month on the Spotify for Podcasters platform, you can help ensure that "The Forensics Experience" continues to bring you the best content possible. So if you love speech and debate and want to stay up-to-date on the latest happenings as I interview notable people in the community, please consider supporting my podcast today. Thank you for listening!: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/forensicsexperience/support ⁠Instagram⁠ TikTok  YouTube Buy Me A Coffee In this episode, we talk to Anthony about his impact in the Speech and Debate community through Chicago Debates! Anthony's Bio: Anthony Bolden is the Executive Director for Chicago Debates. He works strategically and collaboratively with his staff to lead the organization's development and program implementation, ensuring Chicago youth maintain access to the life-changing activity of debate. Anthony believes that through the power of education and mentorship, young people are given the tools to build the life of their dreams. Anthony is a Chicago Urban League and University of Chicago Booth School of Business IMPACT Leadership Development Fellow Alum and a Forefront Educational Equity Fellow Alum. He is a highly sought-after speaker and facilitator. He has traveled extensively domestically and internationally, motivating emerging professionals to find their purpose and pursue their goals with boldness. Anthony received a Bachelor of Arts in Music and a Master of Arts in Pastoral Studies with a concentration in Community Development from Oakwood University (HBCU) and a Graduate Certification in Nonprofit Management from North Park University. Follow Anthony on IG & Follow Chicago Debates If you enjoyed this episode, please rate it 5 stars in the podcast app and subscribe as new episodes will be here EVERY month! --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/forensicsexperience/support

Welcome to Women, Wealth & Entrepreneurship with Ariel Shaw, MBA! We want to increase your bottom line and create generational wealth that lasts way beyond you. It's 2023 and it's the year of ELEVATION&EXPANSION! Today we talk with Yvonne McNair, MBA, CSEP, DES. Captivate Marketing Group is led by, Yvonne McNair, the highly creative certified Entertainment Marketing Professional and two-time Emmy Nominated Event Producer. Yvonne has a proven track record of conceptualizing and orchestrating small and large event production events, marketing campaigns and programs. Yvonne is known as a powerhouse behind the scene closing deals, sculpting entertainment, one exquisite experience at a time.   She has worked with some of the biggest names and brands in the entertainment industry. Yvonne started her career early in the music industry, under the mentorship of Esther Gordy Edwards, sister of Berry Gordy and creator of the Motown Museum.  At the age of 22, Yvonne was featured on the cover of Crain's magazine as "Someone to Watch in the Industry". Yvonne's experience has given her the latitude to create innovative marketing campaigns and event management for top brands. The Sundance Film Festival, VH1, NBC, BET Networks, Apple Music, and MTV, ADCOLOR, City of New York, EBONY Media Group, Ad Council, Georgia Legislative Black Caucus, NATIVE SON, Google, and Culture Creators are among many other top global brands. She is also known for her work designing the marketing campaign for the Chicago Urban League's Emmy award-winning urban lifestyle television program, that garnered her the Emmy Nomination as Event Producer. She was also nominated for an Emmy for her work on WVON's 50th Anniversary Historical Documentary. Yvonne's creative reputation and work ethic have far-reaching effects that will stay with many of us for years to come. Notably so, her work with Prince. Yvonne was responsible for the Prince residency secret shows at City Winery in New York.  In 2013, the shows were named as the 39th reason to love NY in New York Magazine.  Yvonne was also responsible for producing Prince's record-breaking performance at the ESSENCE Festival in 2014, along with turning the Mercedes Benz Super Dome purple to commemorate the 30th Anniversary of Purple Rain.  Yvonne later went on to produce Prince's memorial tribute at ESSENCE Music Festival after his untimely passing. In addition to producing the ESSENCE Festival 25th Anniversary tribute which included exclusive footage licensed from Prince's estate. In 2018, Yvonne produced the notable 30th Anniversary show of New Jack Swing at the ESSENCE Music Festival and two historic shows at the legendary Apollo Theater. The show was led by the King of New Jack Swing, Teddy Riley and featured appearances by Keith Sweat, Guy, Blackstreet featuring Dave Hollister, Doug E. Fresh, Mc Lyte, Kool Moe Dee, SWV and DJ D-Nice.   She then produced a once in a lifetime show that included bringing Teddy Riley, Pharrell and Timbaland together on the same stage. Yvonne also produced the first annual BET Her Awards presented by Bumble, which kicked off the annual BET Experience weekend in Los Angeles.  Yvonne received her second EMMY nomination for producing the ADCOLOR at the Apollo show featuring Wyclef Jean.   Most recently, Yvonne became Co-Founder, talent and technical producer of the Harlem Festival of Culture.   Harlem Festival of Culture (HFC) is a cultural festival series dedicated to presenting world class live programming that celebrates and preserves the cultural contributions of the black Diaspora in music, media, art, fashion and entertainment.         2023 Media Participants Our 2023 Participants are The Alzheimer's Services Center, Tyronica Carter of Radiant Styles at Alicia Williams of The Dazzling Diva, Yvette D. Best of Best Tax Solutions LLC, Debraisha Hale of Divine Designs, Melissa Ellis of Life Beyond Water, and Katherine Jordan of The Savvy ID.

March 20, 2023 Karen Freeman-Wilson – President & CEO – Chicago Urban League City Club event description: Karen Freeman-Wilson Karen Freeman-Wilson began serving as President and CEO of the Chicago Urban League in January 2020. She brings a passion for equity and social justice to the organization, which works to advance economic, educational, and social […]

So many people are suffering silently due to long COVID. But, they've also come together to support each other in their fight for access to quality care. Reset talks with Dr. David Putrino, director of rehabilitation innovation for the Mount Sinai Health System in New York City, Dr. Pete Thomas, internal medicine and preventive community medicine specialist at Howard Brown Health in Chicago, Kathie Kane-Willis, director of policy and advocacy at Chicago Urban League, and Samantha Lane, LCSW for Humboldt Park Counseling and host of the Long COVID Support & Processing Group. We also dive deeper with Netia McCray, director of education for the COVID-19 Longhauler Advocacy Project, Fiona Lowenstein, founder of the Body Politic COVID-19 Support Group and editor of The Long COVID Survival Guide and Chimére L. Smith, long COVID patient consultant in Baltimore.

As Chicago's skyline continues to evolve, what new developments will shape its future? In this episode you will learn:  1) How the Burnham Plan of 1909 continues to shape Chicago's skyline and development today  2) The potential impacts of the One Central and Woodlawn Central developments on Chicago's social, economic, and cultural landscape  3) How Equity Works is aimed at addressing the shortcomings of traditional affirmative action programs in order to provide more opportunities for residents of Chicago's south and west sides.  This is Bob Dunn, Karen Wilson, Dr. Byron T. Brazier's story...Bob Dunn, Karen Wilson, and Dr. Byron T. Brazier are all working on projects that will change the face of Chicago. One Central is a large project that will create a major transit hub and generate almost 300,000 new boardings a day. It will also unify the civic and cultural district, and drive transformative impact to neighborhoods that need it the most. The Woodline project is a catalyst project based on the Woodland 2060 Plan that will redevelop all of the properties in the community. The Urban League will provide training and support to ensure that residents can take advantage of the job opportunities that will be created by these projects.  Show some love by leaving a review on Apple Podcasts and rate on Spotify. Chapter Summaries: [00:00:00] - Hermene Hartman Hartman with N'DIGO Studio is going to talk about the changing face of Chicago and those who are changing it. The Burnham plan was a blueprint for the city of Chicago developed by Daniel Burnham and Edward Bennett in 1909. Dr. Byron Brazier, Bob Dunn, and Karen Wilson are going to discuss their plans for the development of Chicago today. [00:01:13] - Bob Dunn has a project called One Central. Karen Wilson from Chicago Urban League is also on the show. Today they talk about the changing face of Chicago and how it will change for the better.  [00:01:51] - Bob is talking about the one central project around Soldiers Field. 35 acres. It's a $4 billion civic asset which includes the transit, the infrastructure, the amenities and a vertical phase of development that will include office, residential, retail, dining, entertainment, hospitality, and healthcare. It will generate nearly 70000 permanent jobs on site. [00:04:44] - Dr. Byron Brazier is building on his father's legacy in the Woodlawn community. The project is a catalyst project based on the Woodlawn 2060 Plan. There will be a promenade, a hotel, a business center, a vertical farming, a fine arts center and a senior facility. [00:07:22] - Karen is at the Chicago Urban League. Karen has been the mayor of Gary, Indiana and a judge and a graduate of Harvard. Karen is excited about the plans for the Woodlawn Central and Bob's project. Karen and Dr. Brazier want the Urban League to bring the jobs that will be created by the projects to life. The Urban League has to provide the training and small businesses who will work on these projects by providing the businesses. [00:10:52] - Bob has created a new affirmative action called Equity Works. Equity Works is a partnership with the Urban League, the BLC and the Illinois Hispanic Chamber. The civic build is about a three and a half year construction project. The vertical development is a ten to 15 year project. Bob has done a lot of sports development in his career. He built the other three stadiums in the North Division. [00:17:20] - N'DIGO Studio is talking about some developments that are going to change the face of Chicago. The impact is on the surface, you see the city looks different, but the real impact is social impact, cultural impact, economic impact, job impact, tax impact, etc. Dr. Brazier's job is to make sure the developments keep people in mind. [00:19:14] - Dr. Brazier is planning to build a multi-million dollar development on the same timeline as one central. Dr. Brazier was born in the midsection of Chicago near the lake, and grew up in different parts of the city. He believes that development should focus on education, safety and cultural development. [00:24:37] - Bob Dunn has a project to create 78000 new construction jobs and 68000 permanent jobs in Chicago. He needs to create an alignment for the residents to get the jobs and to get training and education. Hermene Hartman is an educator, and she is talking on the changing face of Chicago. Connect with me: Instagram: iamhermenehartmanFacebook: hermenehartmanYouTube: ndigostudioLoved this episode? Leave us a review and rating here: {LINK}

Today's guests: - Kathy Tholin, Indivisible Chair - Don Rose, independent political consultant - Karen Freeman Wilson, President & CEO Chicago Urban League chiul.org - Dave Layman, Former Reporter

In this new episode of the refocused, rebranded, new direction of Enterprise Now, Elzie is joined by Joe Cecala Founder & CEO at Dream Exchange. Joe was a lawyer who worked on many small capital transactions for more than fifteen years. In that time, he saw that small capital transactions, however good, always lack a clear exit. Answering the investor question “How do I sell my investment?” was a constant problem. This, and other problems in raising capital, were especially pronounced in the black community as his firm worked with the Chicago Urban League attempting to help the “Next One” entrepreneurship program. Listen to this episode as Elzie and Joe talk about the stock exchange, specifically for small businesses, and how businesses will benefit from it. Joe explains how to participate in the stock exchange, and shares resources to close the knowledge gap, as well as current hurdles of the stock exchange. Highlights: 03:13 - There's only 2 ways to actually sell shares of stock today. One is to take your shares and prepare all the documents needed, registration documents, send them to the government, to the Securities Exchange Commission. 07:55 - A journey of a thousand miles begins with one step so we`re taking the first step in the right direction regardless of what the history has been. 13:01 - If you give a man fish he has food for a day, if you teach a man to fish he has food for a lifetime. But if you build a man both or you help him finance both, now he can feed a city. 19:58 - Focus on your dream, focus on what you`re imagining and focus on how big it can be. 31:01 - Never quit. You can't just give up in anyway. Don't entertain the thought. Maybe it won't work. Those doubts and those reservations, just ignore all of them. Connect with Elzie https://www.podcasttown.net/ (Website) Connect with Joe https://dreamex.com/ (Website)

Today's guest, Cheryle Jackson, describes her life as a series of ‘firsts' — as the only woman and woman of color in corporate hallways and boardrooms. As the first female president and CEO of the Chicago Urban League, she led the 100+-year-old organization through transformational change.  As the first woman and African American to serve in the role of communications director for the Governor of Illinois, she survived the tumultuous administration of Rod Blagojevich, and was asked by Barack Obama to run for his Senate seat. She's gone onto several C-suite and Board positions, but the double whammy of divorce and breast cancer in 2012 caused her to step back and allow herself to think about herself.  In 2018, she founded Grit and Grace, The Movement, a women's empowerment organization to help advance the ambition of women through coaching, conferences, community, and content designed to inspire and empower. Join Liz for her conversation with the extraordinary Cheryle Jackson.

In March 1972 Gary, Indiana hosted the very first National Black Political Convention. Attendees included Black Panther co-founder Bobby Seale and US Presidential Candidate Shirley Chisholm. Artists and athletes like Muhammad Ali and Harry Belafonte also attended.  The convention produced a foundational document titled The Black Agenda. Here at Gary we are faithful to the best hopes of our fathers and our people if we move for nothing less than a politics which places community before individualism, love before sexual exploitation, a living environment before profits, peace before war, justice before unjust “order”, and morality before expediency (The Black Agenda) The Takeaway Melissa Harris-Perry and co-host Dorian Warren take a Deep Dive into the political gathering that changed Black politics, asking how it affected the women leading locally today. Melissa and Dorian talk about Gary with former Gary, Indiana mayor Karen Freeman-Wilson about the anniversary, her current work as the President and CEO of the Chicago Urban League, and the importance of Women Leading Locally. The Takeaway presents Deep Dive (Courtesy of WNYC Studios The Takeaway) Throughout March for Women's History Month, The Takeaway is joining forces with the Center for American Women and Politics at Rutgers University to bring you the stories of Women Leading Locally. Professor Wendy Smooth is Associate Professor and Associate Dean at Ohio State University. Her scholarly work includes Perceptions of Power and Influence: The Impact of Race and Gender in American State Legislatures, which examines the impact of race and gender on the distribution of power and influence in U.S. state legislatures. She joined to discuss the importance of women in leadership positions on the local level and her advocacy work to insure more women are elected to office.  

In March 1972 Gary, Indiana hosted the very first National Black Political Convention. Attendees included Black Panther co-founder Bobby Seale and US Presidential Candidate Shirley Chisholm. Artists and athletes like Muhammad Ali and Harry Belafonte also attended.  The convention produced a foundational document titled The Black Agenda. Here at Gary we are faithful to the best hopes of our fathers and our people if we move for nothing less than a politics which places community before individualism, love before sexual exploitation, a living environment before profits, peace before war, justice before unjust “order”, and morality before expediency (The Black Agenda) The Takeaway Melissa Harris-Perry and co-host Dorian Warren take a Deep Dive into the political gathering that changed Black politics, asking how it affected the women leading locally today. Melissa and Dorian talk about Gary with former Gary, Indiana mayor Karen Freeman-Wilson about the anniversary, her current work as the President and CEO of the Chicago Urban League, and the importance of Women Leading Locally. The Takeaway presents Deep Dive (Courtesy of WNYC Studios The Takeaway) Throughout March for Women's History Month, The Takeaway is joining forces with the Center for American Women and Politics at Rutgers University to bring you the stories of Women Leading Locally. Professor Wendy Smooth is Associate Professor and Associate Dean at Ohio State University. Her scholarly work includes Perceptions of Power and Influence: The Impact of Race and Gender in American State Legislatures, which examines the impact of race and gender on the distribution of power and influence in U.S. state legislatures. She joined to discuss the importance of women in leadership positions on the local level and her advocacy work to insure more women are elected to office.  

Joe Cecala was a lawyer who worked on many small capital transactions for more than fifteen years. In that time, he saw that small capital transactions, however good, always lack a clear exit. Answering the investor question “How do I sell my investment?” was a constant problem. This, and other problems in raising capital, were especially pronounced in the black community as his firm worked with the Chicago Urban League attempting to help the “Next One” entrepreneurship program. In 2018, Joe Cecala founded the Dream Exchange to solve these long-standing market problems by creating a stock exchange to become completely inclusive and expand access to capital markets for companies with great imagination and foresight into the future as well as make an impact on the lacking diversity in the capital markets. In 2020, a black owned private equity firm, Cadiz Capital Holding LLC, entered an agreement to become the majority owner in Dream Exchange, thus creating the first black owned stock exchange in the history of America. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/joel-ward/support

Derrick Collins serves as the Dean for the College of Business at Chicago State University. Previous to CSU, Mr. Collins was Assistant Clinical Professor of Finance at Northwestern University's J.L. Kellogg School of Management where taught Venture Capital and Private Equity Investing, as well as Entrepreneurial Finance. Prior to his academic career, Dean Collins worked as a venture capitalist and a bank commercial loan officer.Derrick Collins serves as the Dean for the College of Business at Chicago State University. Under Mr. Collins' stewardship, the College of Business has expanded its curriculum offerings to enhance students' industry-specific and technical proficiencies, including entrepreneurship, international business exposure via global internships, and an MBA program that focuses on working professionals. Previous to CSU, Mr. Collins was Assistant Clinical Professor of Finance at Northwestern University's J.L. Kellogg School of Management where he developed and taught the course, Venture Capital and Private Equity Investing, as well as served as a lecturer for the course, Entrepreneurial Finance. Mr. Collins taught in Kellogg's full-time and part-time MBA programs as well as its Executive Managers' Program. Mr. Collins began his academic career while serving as a General Partner of Polestar Capital Partners, an early- to growth-stage venture capital partnership focused on investing in minority-controlled technology companies. It was this experience in the venture capital community that served as the platform for Mr. Collins to successfully teach private equity in a higher education environment. Prior to Polestar, Mr. Collins served as President of Shorebank Capital Corporation, the venture capital subsidiary of Shorebank Corporation, an Illinois bank holding company. Mr. Collins began his finance career as a Commercial Loan Officer in Shorebank's banking subsidiary, South Shore Bank. Mr. Collins has lectured extensively on the topic of private equity, venture capital, and minority entrepreneurship and has received accolades for his ability to convey complex financial and business concepts to financially-sophisticated and novice audiences, alike. Some of the venues include the Credit Suisse International Business School, the National Minority Supplier Development Council's Advanced Management Education Program, the National Football League's Player Development Program, the National Basketball Players Association's High Growth Entrepreneurship Program, the Chicago Urban League's NextOne Program, the Wall Street Journal's Black Entrepreneurship in America Conference, and guest appearances on Chicago's WGN-TV Minority Business Report, WVON Radio's Urban Business Roundtable, as well as numerous other private and public conferences and meetings. Mr. Collins currently serves on the boards of Cinnaire, a full-service community development finance institution that advances affordable housing and community development, and ECM Performance Materials, a provider of custom chemical and polymer processing services for industrial and manufacturing applications. Derrick Collins earned his B.S. in Electrical Engineering from Prairie View A&M University and his M.B.A. in Finance and Marketing from the University of Chicago's Booth School of Business. 

Derrick Collins serves as the Dean for the College of Business at Chicago State University. Previous to CSU, Mr. Collins was Assistant Clinical Professor of Finance at Northwestern University's J.L. Kellogg School of Management where taught Venture Capital and Private Equity Investing, as well as Entrepreneurial Finance. Prior to his academic career, Dean Collins worked as a venture capitalist and a bank commercial loan officer.Derrick Collins serves as the Dean for the College of Business at Chicago State University. Under Mr. Collins' stewardship, the College of Business has expanded its curriculum offerings to enhance students' industry-specific and technical proficiencies, including entrepreneurship, international business exposure via global internships, and an MBA program that focuses on working professionals. Previous to CSU, Mr. Collins was Assistant Clinical Professor of Finance at Northwestern University's J.L. Kellogg School of Management where he developed and taught the course, Venture Capital and Private Equity Investing, as well as served as a lecturer for the course, Entrepreneurial Finance. Mr. Collins taught in Kellogg's full-time and part-time MBA programs as well as its Executive Managers' Program. Mr. Collins began his academic career while serving as a General Partner of Polestar Capital Partners, an early- to growth-stage venture capital partnership focused on investing in minority-controlled technology companies. It was this experience in the venture capital community that served as the platform for Mr. Collins to successfully teach private equity in a higher education environment. Prior to Polestar, Mr. Collins served as President of Shorebank Capital Corporation, the venture capital subsidiary of Shorebank Corporation, an Illinois bank holding company. Mr. Collins began his finance career as a Commercial Loan Officer in Shorebank's banking subsidiary, South Shore Bank. Mr. Collins has lectured extensively on the topic of private equity, venture capital, and minority entrepreneurship and has received accolades for his ability to convey complex financial and business concepts to financially-sophisticated and novice audiences, alike. Some of the venues include the Credit Suisse International Business School, the National Minority Supplier Development Council's Advanced Management Education Program, the National Football League's Player Development Program, the National Basketball Players Association's High Growth Entrepreneurship Program, the Chicago Urban League's NextOne Program, the Wall Street Journal's Black Entrepreneurship in America Conference, and guest appearances on Chicago's WGN-TV Minority Business Report, WVON Radio's Urban Business Roundtable, as well as numerous other private and public conferences and meetings. Mr. Collins currently serves on the boards of Cinnaire, a full-service community development finance institution that advances affordable housing and community development, and ECM Performance Materials, a provider of custom chemical and polymer processing services for industrial and manufacturing applications. Derrick Collins earned his B.S. in Electrical Engineering from Prairie View A&M University and his M.B.A. in Finance and Marketing from the University of Chicago's Booth School of Business. 

From the south side of Chicago, Jamila Trimuel is a results-driven leader and encourages others to pursue purpose at all costs. She is the Founder of Ladies of Virtue, an award winning mentoring program that has empowered over 1,000 girls to become confident and purpose-driven leaders.​As a mentor, social entrepreneur, and philanthropist, Jamila Trimuel has over ten years of experience in strategic planning and community engagement for nonprofit organizations. Jamila is a Broad Residency alum, a highly competitive leadership program that places participants in high-level managerial positions to help transform our public school systems. Jamila is the product of the South Shore community on Chicago's southeast side.  She attributes a large part of her success to her parents and thanks them for fueling her grit and desire to pursue her passion at all costs. Jamila was recognized as Northwestern Memorial Hospital's Humanitarian Award winner in 2012.  She was also recognized as a Change Agent and invited to the United State of Women Summit hosted by the White House in 2016.  In 2017, she was recognized by Chicago Scholars for their 35 under 35 Award and received Rush University's Hidden Figures Award. Jamila was one of the 100 community leaders from Chicago (500 in total around the world) invited to attend the inaugural Obama Foundation Summit in 2017. In addition, she was a 2017 National Mentor Summit Fellow.  She also won the Coaches Award at the 2018 Social Venture Partners (SVP) Fast Pitch competition for Chicagoland nonprofits. Jamila also presented her Tedx Talk in 2018 entitled, "Make Today Your Saturday. Live a Fulfilled Life of Purpose." Furthermore, in 2018, Jamila was honored alongside Jesse Jackson Sr. with the "Giving a Hand Out to Give a Hand Up" Mentoring Award by the Calahan Foundation. In 2019, Jamila was honored with the Leading Lady Community Award by the Daisie Foundation. ​Jamila has a Bachelor of Science in Community Health from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and a Master of Science in Health Systems Management from Rush University.  She also holds a Masters of Education in Educational Leadership from The Broad Center for Management of School Systems. In addition to the Broad Residency, Jamila graduated from several prestigious leadership programs including the Schweitzer Fellowship and the IMPACT Leadership Development Program founded by the Chicago Urban League and the University of Chicago. She is also a Kellogg Executive Scholar from Northwestern University. In addition, she is a Licensed Minister at New Life Covenant – Southeast under the leadership of Pastor John F. Hannah.  Jamila resides in the South Loop community with her husband, Damien.​Community Leadership78 Community Advisory Council member appointed by Mayor Lori LightfootStatus of Women and Girls Working Group - Co-Chair of the Economic Development Committee - Office of the City Clerk, Anna ValenciaCivic Engagement Advisory Council (Core Member) - Office of the City Clerk, Anna ValenciaIllinois Council for Women and Girls - Founding Steering Committee MemberGreater Bronzeville Neighborhood Network - Workforce Development Steering Committee MemberCoalition for Urban Girls - Steering Committee Member​

October 13, 2021 Karen Freeman-Wilson – President and CEO – Chicago Urban League Karen Freeman-Wilson Karen Freeman-Wilson began serving as President and CEO of the Chicago Urban League in January 2020. She brings a passion for equity and social justice to the organization, which works to advance economic, educational and social progress for African Americans […]

Today, we are speaking with a digital transformation and analytics powerhouse, Sheila Talton. Sheila owns Gray Matter Analytics, a healthcare data analytics company founded in 2013. She is here to share with us her perspective on important topics such as the lack of women in the big data and big tech industry, raising working capital in a business, and what it means to be an entrepreneur. As an African American woman, Sheila is an ardent advocate for African American rights. She currently serves on three public boards, two of which are John Deere and Cisco. Finally, Sheila is a thoughtful leader who attributes much of her success to her daily workouts and ensuring stillness in her day by taking time to read the Bible. IN THIS EPISODE: [03:37] Sheila reflects on her childhood, labeling herself as a rule follower until she realized she wasn't accomplishing as much as she wanted to quickly enough. [05:44] Marching and demonstrating in protests, making sure her voice was heard around important issues facing African Americans. [08:52] The point when Sheila knew she wanted to pursue a career in technology. [16:57] Not getting the support of her then husband as Sheila's career started to grow exponentially. [19:16] Sheila's next steps as she transitioned and pivoted her focus to becoming an entrepreneur. [21:18] How Sheila negotiated and structured the deal to get her business started. [27:59] Hindsight of Sheila's career, she spent 50% as an entrepreneur and 50% in corporate America. Does she feel the time she spent in corporate was beneficial? [30:31] Sheila speaks about her current company and what she expects the future of this company to look like. KEY TAKEAWAYS: Sheila marched and demonstrated during the civil rights movement to ensure her voice was heard regarding the different issues facing African Americans during that time. How Sheila found success in Big tech and Big Data, even though the odds were stacked against her, being a woman and a woman of color.  Working in corporate America before she became an entrepreneur - Sheila felt this was beneficial to her because she was able to observe what good and bad management looked like. We can never achieve success alone, having a support system is necessary to finding success. Negotiating the deal and investment for her business - Sheila looks back to that moment and knows she took all the right steps in formulating that deal.  QUOTES: “I spent a lot of my time marching, demonstrating, and making sure that my voice was heard around the issues that were important for African-Americans during that time.” - Sheila Talton “I feel that I learned what good management looks like and what bad management looks like. A lot of times entrepreneurs have to figure that out themselves because they don't have role models.” - Sheila Talton on working in corporate America “I believe that none of us get to where we are alone. A support system is really important, a support system of women and a support system of men.” - Sheila Talton CONNECT WITH US: Find Sheila Talton on LinkedIn and at GrayMatterAnalytics.com Check out our website, Potential to Powerhouse, for more details and to learn about past, present, and future guests. Be sure to follow us on Instagram and Twitter, and join our Facebook Community for a deeper connection with the P2P tribe. Ignite the Powerhouse Within Summit! Wednesday, June 23 - Thursday June 24, a 2-day live interactive summit for seekers, visionaries, and unstoppable entrepreneurs on the rise.  Grab your free copy of our guide, 4 Daily Habits Essential to Becoming a POWERHOUSE Entrepreneur, and don't forget to subscribe to our show and leave a rating and review. Do you know any other female powerhouses that could benefit from listening? If so, please let them know to follow us on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever they like to listen to valuable audio content. Until next time… High Five! SHEILA G. TALTON: Sheila G. Talton is currently the President and CEO of Gray Matter Analytics, a healthcare data analytics company that she founded in 2013. Her latest mission at Gray Matter is to encourage clients to take ownership of their data, maximize its value and more effectively standardize data across large, complex enterprises to address interoperability challenges that proliferate in healthcare. She is an innovative global leader and Big Data strategist with over 30 years of experience in helping organizations increase value, build successful businesses within larger companies and expand into emerging markets. She is recognized for her expertise in developing and executing bold initiatives. Her experience in governance extends to corporate, civic and not-for-profit sectors; currently serving on the boards of Deere & Company, Sysco Corporation, OGE Energy Corp., Chicago's Northwestern Memorial Hospital Foundation, The Chicago Network, the Chicago Shakespeare Theater and The Chicago Urban League.

For this episode I interview Joe Cecala who is the Founder and CEO of Dream Exchange.Joe Cecala was a lawyer who worked on many small capital transactions for more than fifteen years. In that time, he saw that small capital transactions, however good, always lack a clear exit. Answering the investor question “How do I sell my investment?” was a constant problem. This, and other problems in raising capital, were especially pronounced in the black community as his firm worked with the Chicago Urban League attempting to help the “Next One” entrepreneurship program.Early in his legal career, Mr. Cecala learned how stock exchanges “hunt” for liquidity because he was the lawyer for the founders of Archipelago, one of the first and the biggest electronic stock exchanges in the world. Archipelago grew and was eventually acquired by the New York Stock Exchange, becoming the electronic infrastructure for the NYSE still used today. Because of his experience in understanding the formation of the world's greatest electronic stock exchange, Mr. Cecala learned how a stock exchange creates and controls liquidity in the markets.Following his involvement with Archipelago, Mr. Cecala spent years researching capital markets. In that time, he discovered that the structure of the US capital markets and the current stock exchanges favor only the largest transactions with celebrity companies. Mr. Cecala's research showed that, prior to Archipelago, the overwhelming majority of IPO's were $50.0 million and under! By 2004, small capital IPO's had all but disappeared. After years of working with minority businesses, in addition to this, he realized as well that minority businesses were nearly absent from all IPO and public company listings.In 2018, Joe Cecala founded the Dream Exchange to solve these long-standing market problems by creating a stock exchange to become completely inclusive and expand access to capital markets for companies with great imagination and foresight into the future as well as make an impact on the lacking diversity in the capital markets. In 2020, a black owned private equity firm, Cadiz Capital Holding LLC, entered an agreement to become the majority owner in Dream Exchange, thus creating the first black owned stock exchange in the history of America.In this episode we also talk about:-Venture capitalCoinbaseWorld reserve currencyDigital currenciesSmall cap companiesICOsIPOsSECConnect with Joe Cecala:-https://www.linkedin.com/in/joececala/https://twitter.com/ExpansionFPdreamex.com/  Book recommendations:Lincolns last trial - Book by Dan Abrams and David FisherThe Sales Acceleration Formula: Using Data, Technology, and Inbound Selling to Go from $0 to $100 Million - by Mark RobergeIf you enjoyed this episode then please subscribe, I will be interviewing other successful founders and investors to provide you a shortcut to success.Follow instagram:- https://www.instagram.com/wantmoneygotmoney/

Chelsea (Stalling) Whittington is a native of Gary, IN and proud graduate of West Side High School (salutatorian), Howard University (B.A. Broadcast Journalism, Magna Cum Laude) and Purdue University (M.A. Organizational Communications, Summa Cum Laude). Her career in Public Relations and Communications spans more than 25 years having worked for the Peace Corps Recruiting Office in Arlington, VA, the Office of Congressman Charles Rangel (D-NY), JWA Boys and Girls Club, Lake Area United Way, Horseshoe and Trump Casinos, the Gary Community School Corporation, and Johnson Publishing Company, publisher of Ebony and Jet Magazines.In 2009, Chelsea joined the executive team at U.S. Cellular Corporation as Communications Manager. There, she managed 4 of the company's public relations firms while promoting the brand of the nation's sixth largest wireless phone company. From January 2012 – July 2015, Chelsea served in the administration of Mayor Karen Freeman-Wilson, the City of Gary's first female mayor and the State of Indiana's only female African-American mayor. As Director of Communications, Chelsea oversaw media relations, crisis communications, special events, branding and marketing for her hometown. In the fall of 2015 to spring 2019, Chelsea was employed by the Chicago Urban League where she served as Director of External Affairs and Special Events. She continues to serve as an adjunct professor at Indiana University Northwest and Indiana Wesleyan University teaching courses in Communications, Social Networking and Special Event Planning. Since 2015, Chelsea has operated her own PR Consulting firm, C WHITT, where she develops public relations and social media strategies for clients as well as presents workshops and trainings on social media and public speaking. In spring 2019, she made the big leap into full-time entrepreneurship while expanding her clientele to service small businesses, non-profit organizations and governmental agencies.A long-time member of the Trinity Missionary Baptist Church, Chelsea sings in the choir, is a member of the G.E.E.K Squad and serves as a church hostess. She volunteers for the J.W.A. Boys and Girls Club, Sojourner Truth House, is a member of the Black Public Relations Society of Chicago, the iHeart Media Local Advisory Board and NBC 5 Chicago's Community Outreach Board.Whittington resides in Gary with her husband Terrell and their lovable dog Deuce.

In today's Buzzcast, we dive into a firsthand account from a new appraiser of the Appraiser Diversity Initiative (ADI) by Fannie Mae and the challenges facing trainee appraisers today. Today we have Marcus Knight, a recently licensed appraiser that completed this specific program giving a deeper look with Joan Trice, Founder of Allterra Group, LLC. They delve into what exactly he faced during the program and how diversity in the appraisal industry is necessary for its continual growth. In addition to sitting down with us, Marcus also wrote an article for us below about his journey in this industry.   When I walked into the Chicago Urban League in November 2020, I would have never thought I would be where I am now. When I heard about the Appraisal field, I was instantly intrigued and wanted to know more. Up until this point, I hadn't involved myself much in Real Estate and my only thought about it surrounded home ownership. I couldn't have imagined that more than a year from now I'd be an Appraiser Trainee. Where I am now is due entirely to the Appraisal Diversity Initiative (ADI) sponsored by Fannie Mae and the National Urban League. I went to a meeting earlier in the day at the Chicago Urban League, and as I was leaving, I happened to walk past the ADI event as it started and thought to myself, “why not attend?” During the event, Black Appraisers spoke about their experiences in the field, how it changed their lives, and its importance to community development. I wanted to know more, so I learned about the ADI scholarship, I applied, and in a few weeks, I was notified I was selected as an awardee. This scholarship allowed me to take all the basic courses and proctored tests necessary to be licensed as a trainee. It came at the right time as for some time I had been contemplating a career change. It all felt serendipitous. I was awarded this scholarship in December 2019, but didn't really start courses until February 2020 as my job at the moment was very demanding. The courses were quite challenging because I didn't have any prior Real Estate experience. It was like reading a foreign language for the first time (in truth, it still feels somewhat like that now). I had to take my time to digest the content and try to connect it to the real world, all without expert guidance. Appraisal Principals wasn't so bad, but the course on Appraisal Procedures was very challenging. Even though I felt alone and inadequate at times, I dedicated myself to understanding the content to the best of my abilities. I took my time completing the introductory courses because I wanted to make sure if I had an opportunity to speak to a potential Supervisor, I would speak confidently. After 90 days, I finished my courses and took my state proctored exams two months later. By August, I had successfully passed all three introductory courses and passed all three exams. By November 2020, I had successfully completed the mandatory Supervisor/Trainee courses and I applied for licensure in December. By January 2021, I was licensed as an Appraiser Trainee in Illinois. Since August 2020, I've had the fortune of interacting with some brilliant appraisers who took the time out to share insights developed through their many years of work. Having the opportunity to review appraisal reports and discuss how appraisers might have approached their analysis provided a real-world context that, up until that point, hadn't been available. At this point, I began to realize the level of complexity of appraisal work and why mentorship was so important. Examining a completed report either in URAR or narrative format lead to many questions. As I eventually learned, an appraisal report is a finely crafted piece of work that is both an artform and a science. The phrase “it depends” in regards to why an appraiser made a certain decision still rings in my head to this day. For 8 months, I was provided with the space to ask questions about appraisal work and was challenged to research and find different appraisals for both exposure and competence. As I reflect, I realize that any appraiser trainee should seek out mentorship separate from a supervisory relationship. Speaking to someone who is taking time out to drop gems with no strings attached helps to accelerate the learning curve. I'm very appreciative of those who decided to give their time to me who asked nothing of me. Thanks to ADI, I found a supervisor here in Chicago who was willing to take me under his wing. He is a residential appraiser who has been practicing since around the ‘08 market crash, so he has a wealth of experience I am just clambering to tap into. I have a few inspections under my belt, and I have to say, they are challenging as I am forced to take all of the academic knowledge I've learned and apply it within a real world setting with a real time constraint (the duration of the inspection). Remembering key steps like making sure to taking clear pictures, getting accurate measurements, and scanning the environment for any important details, is shaping up to be quite the feat at the moment. My saving grace is I am working with a patient and understanding supervisor who doesn't mind me asking a million questions throughout the day. It's a lot to process, but I've learned to take it day by day and not to beat myself up when I leave my camera in the car or realize later in the day, I took a bad comp picture and I have to go back out and take it again. This is just the beginning of my journey, so I quickly learned the importance of pacing myself and self-care. My short-term goal is to become a Certified Residential Appraiser and my long-term goal is to become a General Appraiser. I heard others say you have to pick early which career path to take, but my strategy is too early on in my residential appraisal career to identify a specialty for myself as I pursue General Certification. I say to anyone who is interested in pursuing appraisal as a career to understand that it's a lifestyle. You must be prepared to immerse yourself in this field to become competent. I'm incredibly excited for what the future has in store for me. I slowly feel more and more like a bona fide appraiser every day.   Have any comments or would you like to submit content of your own? Become an Appraisal Buzz Premium Member and comment below or email comments@appraisalbuzz.com.

Cheryle Jackson is the CEO and Founder of Grit + Grace, The Movement, a women’s empowerment, coaching, and media company helping female leaders powerfully pursue their potential and align their self-care with their ambition. Before founding the company in 2018, she served as the Senior Vice President of Global Business Development and President of AAR Africa for AAR. In 2010, she was also a candidate for President Obama’s once-vacant U.S. Senate seat as well as the first female president and CEO of the Chicago Urban League. Among the many executive roles throughout her career, Cheryle has also worked with several non-profit organizations as well as shared the Grace + Grit message through public speaking engagements, including on the stage of TEDx. Cheryle joins me today to share why she is rebelling for women to rediscover their grit and grace and how she is helping women to understand the need to pair grit with grace in our lives. She shares the defining moment in her life when she realized practicing grace was a crucial element of reaching her full potential and how she discovered grit and grace go hand-in-hand. She explains what it truly means to be a “free agent” - to run your career on your own terms, be pro-active instead of reactive, and take your career ‘by the horns’ to create your own path to success. She also explains her concept on the “DNA of Brilliance” and what it could look like to practice grace every day, in everything you do.   “Grit alone ensures that you survive. But we’re here to do more than just survive; we want to thrive. Grace helps us to thrive.” - Cheryle Jackson   This week on Rebel Souls: Cheryle’s journey of pivots and how the Grit + Grace movement began How Cheryle discovered and developed her grit and resiliency The price of having the grit and tenacity to keep going Why Cheryle believes losing the U.S. Senate primary election was a blessing in disguise How Cheryle battled breast cancer and dealt with divorce while starting her business and how her experiences shined a light on the importance of grit, grace, and radical self-care When Cheryle realized grit and grace go hand-in-hand How Cheryle helped women pivot during the COVID-19 pandemic How Cheryle practices grace to stay connected to her soul What the “Grace Practice” is and the three actions that create our lives Identifying the triggers that cause you to fall out of grace and alignment with your soul Using your emotions as a tool to stay in alignment with your soul Cheryle’s concept of the “DNA of Brilliance” Why waiting for new opportunities to come your way is detrimental to your success Choosing to be a ‘free agent’ and why the key to being a free agent, beyond choosing yourself, is service-driven networking Understanding what’s driving your decisions How Cheryle is rebelling for change, social justice, and civil rights   Resources Mentioned: Book: Broken Open: How Difficult Times Can Help Us Grow by Elizabeth Lesser Book: Grit: The Power of Passion and Perseverance by Angela Duckworth   Connect with Cheryle Jackson: Cheryle Jackson Website PIVOT! Conference Grit And Grace - TEDx Talk Grit + Grace, The Movement on Instagram Grit + Grace, The Movement on Facebook Cheryle Jackson on LinkedIn Cheryle Jackson on Instagram Cheryle Jackson on Facebook Cheryle Jackson on Twitter   Liberate Your Soul & Join the Rebelution Thanks for tuning into this week’s episode of Rebel Souls with your host, Shelley Paxton, the podcast dedicated to helping leaders reject the status quo, liberate their soul, and become a lifelong rebel. If you enjoyed this episode, please head over to Apple Podcasts to subscribe to the show and leave a review. Don’t forget to follow us on Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, and Instagram and share your favorite episodes across social media. And for more great content and information, visit our website and grab your copy of Soulbbatical: A Corporate Rebel’s Guide to Finding Your Best Life.

This episode covers the value of collaboration across levels of government and the power of data as a means for increasing the impact of government actions, elevating accountability, and building relationships and trust with the public.About Karen Freeman-WilsonKaren Freeman-Wilson began serving as President and CEO of the Chicago Urban League in January 2020. She brings a passion for equity and social justice to the organization, which works to advance economic, educational and social progress for African Americans through direct service and advocacy.Having served in the public arena most of her professional life, Freeman-Wilson has deep experience in addressing issues that impact urban communities. She was mayor of her hometown of Gary, Indiana, from 2012 through 2019. She was the first female to lead the city of Gary and the first African-American female mayor in Indiana. Her mayoral accomplishments include job creation, completion of a $100 million airport runway relocation, and the development of key areas in the city. She previously served as Indiana Attorney General, Director of the Indiana Civil Rights Commission, and presiding judge of the Gary City Court. She also served as Executive Director of the National Drug Court Institute and CEO of the National Association of Drug Court Professionals, where she is currently Board Vice Chair.Freeman-Wilson is a graduate of Harvard College and Harvard Law School. She is a past President of the National League of Cities, past Chairperson of the Criminal and Social Justice Committee of the U.S. Conference of Mayors, and sits on the National Police Foundation Board of Directors. She is a member of Israel C.M.E. Church; Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc.; the Links, Inc.; the NAACP; the Urban League of Northwest Indiana and the Indiana Bar.Freeman-Wilson and her husband Carmen Wilson II have a blended family of four children.

This episode covers the value of collaboration across levels of government and the power of data as a means for increasing the impact of government actions, elevating accountability, and building relationships and trust with the public.About Karen Freeman-WilsonKaren Freeman-Wilson began serving as President and CEO of the Chicago Urban League in January 2020. She brings a passion for equity and social justice to the organization, which works to advance economic, educational and social progress for African Americans through direct service and advocacy.Having served in the public arena most of her professional life, Freeman-Wilson has deep experience in addressing issues that impact urban communities. She was mayor of her hometown of Gary, Indiana, from 2012 through 2019. She was the first female to lead the city of Gary and the first African-American female mayor in Indiana. Her mayoral accomplishments include job creation, completion of a $100 million airport runway relocation, and the development of key areas in the city. She previously served as Indiana Attorney General, Director of the Indiana Civil Rights Commission, and presiding judge of the Gary City Court. She also served as Executive Director of the National Drug Court Institute and CEO of the National Association of Drug Court Professionals, where she is currently Board Vice Chair.Freeman-Wilson is a graduate of Harvard College and Harvard Law School. She is a past President of the National League of Cities, past Chairperson of the Criminal and Social Justice Committee of the U.S. Conference of Mayors, and sits on the National Police Foundation Board of Directors. She is a member of Israel C.M.E. Church; Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc.; the Links, Inc.; the NAACP; the Urban League of Northwest Indiana and the Indiana Bar.Freeman-Wilson and her husband Carmen Wilson II have a blended family of four children.

This episode covers the value of collaboration across levels of government and the power of data as a means for increasing the impact of government actions, elevating accountability, and building relationships and trust with the public.About Karen Freeman-WilsonKaren Freeman-Wilson began serving as President and CEO of the Chicago Urban League in January 2020. She brings a passion for equity and social justice to the organization, which works to advance economic, educational and social progress for African Americans through direct service and advocacy.Having served in the public arena most of her professional life, Freeman-Wilson has deep experience in addressing issues that impact urban communities. She was mayor of her hometown of Gary, Indiana, from 2012 through 2019. She was the first female to lead the city of Gary and the first African-American female mayor in Indiana. Her mayoral accomplishments include job creation, completion of a $100 million airport runway relocation, and the development of key areas in the city. She previously served as Indiana Attorney General, Director of the Indiana Civil Rights Commission, and presiding judge of the Gary City Court. She also served as Executive Director of the National Drug Court Institute and CEO of the National Association of Drug Court Professionals, where she is currently Board Vice Chair.Freeman-Wilson is a graduate of Harvard College and Harvard Law School. She is a past President of the National League of Cities, past Chairperson of the Criminal and Social Justice Committee of the U.S. Conference of Mayors, and sits on the National Police Foundation Board of Directors. She is a member of Israel C.M.E. Church; Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc.; the Links, Inc.; the NAACP; the Urban League of Northwest Indiana and the Indiana Bar.Freeman-Wilson and her husband Carmen Wilson II have a blended family of four children.

This episode covers the value of collaboration across levels of government and the power of data as a means for increasing the impact of government actions, elevating accountability, and building relationships and trust with the public.About Karen Freeman-WilsonKaren Freeman-Wilson began serving as President and CEO of the Chicago Urban League in January 2020. She brings a passion for equity and social justice to the organization, which works to advance economic, educational and social progress for African Americans through direct service and advocacy.Having served in the public arena most of her professional life, Freeman-Wilson has deep experience in addressing issues that impact urban communities. She was mayor of her hometown of Gary, Indiana, from 2012 through 2019. She was the first female to lead the city of Gary and the first African-American female mayor in Indiana. Her mayoral accomplishments include job creation, completion of a $100 million airport runway relocation, and the development of key areas in the city. She previously served as Indiana Attorney General, Director of the Indiana Civil Rights Commission, and presiding judge of the Gary City Court. She also served as Executive Director of the National Drug Court Institute and CEO of the National Association of Drug Court Professionals, where she is currently Board Vice Chair.Freeman-Wilson is a graduate of Harvard College and Harvard Law School. She is a past President of the National League of Cities, past Chairperson of the Criminal and Social Justice Committee of the U.S. Conference of Mayors, and sits on the National Police Foundation Board of Directors. She is a member of Israel C.M.E. Church; Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc.; the Links, Inc.; the NAACP; the Urban League of Northwest Indiana and the Indiana Bar.Freeman-Wilson and her husband Carmen Wilson II have a blended family of four children.

Repair the Breach: Help All in Your Community Be Counted in the 2020 CensusThis episode is an interview with Rev. Craig B. Mousin founder and former Executive Director of the Midwest Immigrant Rights Center and an Adjunct Faculty member at DePaul University's College of Law and The Grace School of Applied Diplomacy. He discusses how the Census, by counting all those residing in the United States every ten years, if done well, helps the nation repair past breaches to our body politic. In the wake of a pandemic, civic unrest and the long road to healing our nation from the consequences of slavery and racism, the Census offers an opportunity for all of “We the People” to be counted and leading to a fairer representation. The government will stop counting residents in this Census on September 30, 2020, thus necessitating that we all use our resources to ensure a fair count. You can go to www.census.gov for information on how to encourage greater participation. If you would like to participate in a phone bank sponsored by the Urban League of Chicago on Wednesday, September 9, 2020 to encourage participation in the City of Chicago, you can volunteer by emailing kbutler@chiul.org (Kareem Butler, Director of Learning and Evaluation, Chicago Urban League). The quotation from Professor Akhill Reed Amar can be found in American's Constitution, A Biography,” (Random House, N.Y., 2005), 87. For a description of rotten districts / rotten boroughs  see P.84.Please share this podcast and links with members of your community or faith organizations, family members and friends. Encourage them to assist all members of their communities to file their Census form to generate a fair count of all. Thank you for your consideration of this request.

This week on ESP & JAXS...Special Guest Rev. Gregory Seal Livingston... Rev. Gregory Seal Livingston. A seminary trained pastor and leader he has had the wonderful honor of serving several congregations and organizations across the city of Chicago. He has served as Illinois Chairman of the National Action Network. He has also served as National Field Secretary and Chief of Field Operations for the RainbowPUSH Coalition. He has served as president/leader of various organizations including: The African-American Leadership Commission (Gamaliel Foundation); National Resolutions Board of the National Baptist convention; Black United Methodist Pastors (BUMP); Westside Ministers Coalition of Chicago; The Westside Health Crisis Coalition; The Metropolitan Alliance of Congregations West (Gamaliel Foundation); He has also chaired several committees for the Illinois 7th Congressional District. He also writes for the Huffington Post. Rev. Livingston has spoken for and worked with various organizations, groups and events such as: The United States Congressional Health Summit Tri-Caucus; Harvard School of Public Health; The Tavis Smiley Foundation; NAACP; The Anti-Defamation League; The Council of Islamic Organizations of Greater Chicago; Chicago Urban League; The Broadcast Ministers Alliance of Chicago; various universities and other institutions. Known as an electrifying speaker, writer, profound thinker and strategist - Rev. Livingston's faith convictions shape his life and provide the impetus of his commitment to the socio-economic and overall spiritual uplift of the poor and disadvantaged --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/espspeaks/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/espspeaks/support

Kevin P. Davenport is the founder of Ideal Digital Chicago where they churn out youth by training them in digital marketing, working for Ideal Digital, and then getting them employed at a larger company. Author of the Ideal Candidate, Kevin knows that many disadvantaged youth grow up without basic life skills for living on their own and wrote a book plus created many workshops and events to help fill that gap. Kevin is an expert not just in unlocking youth potential and putting it to work but in coaching founders of all levels on his own as well as at the Chicago Urban League who are making $50,000-100,000 in revenue to grow their business. Matt and Kevin discuss his work and other topics such as improving education for entrepreneurship and diversity and inclusion in the corporate world. Follow Kevin: Instagram: @kevinpdavenport kevinpdavenport.com --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/dogoodpodcast/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/dogoodpodcast/support

Cheryle Robinson Jackson is Senior Vice President of Global Business Development and President of AAR Africa for AAR, a global aviation services company. Jackson served as AAR’s Vice President of Government Affairs and Corporate Development after joining the company in 2010 and added business development to her responsibilities and succeeded in growing AAR’s business in Africa. As Senior Vice President of Global Development, Jackson identifies new business opportunities and strategic industry and business partners in emerging, existing and underperforming markets, and cultivates strong relationships to bridge the cultural gap and align industry goals with local economic revitalization objectives.Jackson serves as a director on the boards of Business Council for International Understanding (BCIU), a national organization dedicated to facilitating person‐to‐person relationships between business government leaders worldwide. She also serves on the board of the Congressional Black Caucus Policy Institute and is a member of the Corporate Council on Africa. Jackson was appointed to the U.S. on Trade for Africa and serves on the Illinois District Export Council.Before joining AAR, Jackson was a candidate for President Obama’s once‐vacant U.S. Senate seat in 2010 and was the first female president and CEO of the Chicago Urban League. In that capacity, she led one of the most transformational periods of growth at the venerable civil rights organization, shifting its focus from social services to economic development.Jackson also served as communications director for the Governor of Illinois and was the first woman and African American in the state’s history to hold that position. Her professional experience also includes senior-level positions at Amtrak and NPR (National Public Radio).

On this episode of Giving Voice, IHB historian Nicole Poletika talks with Karen Freeman-Wilson, the former mayor of Gary and current President of the Chicago Urban League. A follow up to the most recent Talking Hoosier History episode, "Tribe Come Home: The 1972 National Black Political Convention," their discussion centers on the ongoing effort for equal rights in Indiana, especially for Black women.

Sustainability Leaders’ special guest host Eric Smith, Vice-Chair of BMO Harris Bank is joined by Shelley Stewart III, a Partner at McKinsey & Company and one of the leaders of their Institute for Black Economic Mobility, and Andrea Zopp, a Managing Partner at Cleveland Avenue, a venture fund that fosters growth in the food, beverage and restaurant industries. Andrea previously served as CEO and President of both the Chicago Urban League and World Business Chicago. A transcript of this episode is available at bmo.com/sustainabilityleaders-podcast.

This week on 5.6.7.EIGHT, Aleksandra interviews Kia Smith, founding Executive Artistic Director at the South Chicago Dance Theatre. Kia, a Chicago native, trained at various notable Chicago institutions such as Story Catchers Theatre, ETA Creative Arts Foundation, Hyde Park School of Dance, and the Joel Hall Dancers and Center. Her training launched her into national and international tours, including runs with the Lula Washington Dance Theatre and the Dayton Contemporary Dance Company. And, of course, she has a wide variety of dance credits with Chicago-based dance companies. Considering her extremely accomplished career, Kia has ample room to boast; however, her drive to succeed isn’t about self-glory but is, rather, about revitalizing communities through the arts. For nearly two decades, Kia has been using her art to bridge gaps between history, cultures, and people groups through movement. On the podcast, Smith discusses how her life’s ambitions are now being met through her dance company, not only on the south side of Chicago but also nationally and even internationally.    Moving Quotes: "I don't think there's anything that sets me apart [from other entrepreneurs]. I just follow through. I'm not anything special — we all have the ability to create and execute a dream. I just follow through." "When it comes to 'success,' you never really get there. I mean... I have a 75-year vision for South Chicago Dance Company."   Bullet Points (w/ timestamps) - Highlighting key topics discussed: 3:17: Kia talks about her dance company — South Chicago Dance Theatre — and the three pillars that her company stands on. 5:51: Kia discusses South Chicago Dance’s cultural diplomacy program, where her company has partnered with a company in South Korea to produce a new work. 9:20: Kia speaks to her relationship with the Chicago Urban League and her work in the Chicago African American community through that organization. 11:54: Smith explains what she believes is the “x factor” that has made her successful in her entrepreneurial endeavors. 13:03: Smith describes her company’s mentorship program and how that program quantifies success. 15:40: Kia discusses how “success” is different for every individual person and can address both short- and long-term goals. 19:44: Smith, whose business has been thriving in the pandemic era, sheds some light on how her company has had to adjust to the “new normal.” 22:18: Kia retells her own dance journey and how she knew from a young age that she wanted to run her own dance company. 24:38: Kia shares some thoughts around why she believes there are so few women leaders in the dance world and how we can all work to curb this trend. 26:42: Kia looks to the future and shares what’s next for the South Chicago Dance Theatre.   Bullet List of Resources –  Kia Smith LinkedIn On Company Website   South Chicago Dance Theatre Company Website Facebook Instagram

The city of Chicago and the Chicago Urban League have joined together for a public campaign called “Black Shop Friday,” which features and promotes local Black-owned businesses to Black Friday shoppers. Reset brings on a Black business owner and the head of the Urban League who is leading the effort.

Craig Dellimore talks with Karen Freeman-Wilson, President and CEO of the Chicago Urban League​. They discuss the "Black Shop Chicago" initiative and the work of the Urban League to help Black-owned business as well as helping people train for and find jobs. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Governor JB Pritzker and the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO) this week announced the latest in a series of grants made available for small businesses in Illinois facing the impacts of COVID-19.    A second round of the Business Interruption Grants (BIG) program, opened this week, will direct $220 million to provide relief for all types of small businesses, but with a particular focus on businesses downstate, in disproportionately impacted areas (DIAs) and heavily distressed industries and regions – representing businesses that have been unable to reopen or are operating at a severely diminished capacity since the spring.   The second round of BIG builds on $49 million in grants awarded last month. Initial grant funding extends to over 2,800 businesses in 400 cities and towns across Illinois, including over half of grants awarded to minority-owned companies.   The latest funding will continue to place an emphasis on equity – with priority for economically distressed communities, as well as downstate and rural businesses.   In the coming weeks, DCEO will be hosting webinars and conducting outreach to support businesses with applying. Additionally, four community navigators will provide boots on the ground to assist DCEO in conducting outreach to minority communities – these partners include The Chicago Urban League, The Greater Auburn Gresham Development Corporation, the Illinois Business Immigrant Coalition, and The Resurrection Project.

Segment 1: Karen Freeman-Wilson, President of the Chicago Urban League, joins guest host Ilyce Glink to talk about how the Urban League fights for racial and economic justice and the work they are doing with small business amid COVID-19. Segment 2: Chris Salviati, housing economist at Apartment List, tells Ilyce about a new study that […]

You've probably seen or heard headlines the past few weeks that opioid abuse and overdoses have exploded over the course of quarantine. The stories seem to echo across the country. In Illinois' Cook Country, home to the city of Chicago, overdoses are on track to double from last year. In Wisconsin, health officials are reporting overdoses have jumped 117% since the pandemic started. https://youtu.be/-CJzgofuWfM Andrea Palm the Secretary of Wisconsin's Department of Health Services says financial pressures and isolation can exacerbate behavioral and substance abuse problems.Not all researchers and experts agree that quarantine is the sole cause. According to the Chicago Tribune, “Kathie Kane-Willis, a drug policy researcher at the Chicago Urban League, said emergency response data showed that overdoses started to rise sharply in November, long before the pandemic began.”She says the cause is a rise in increasingly dangerous synthetic drugs like fentanyl. She does agree that the pandemic has not helped. Along with the additional stress, it's limited the availability of treatment and distribution naloxone, a drug that reverses overdoses.Well herein lies the rub. In July, NPR published a story titled “Doctors And Dentists Still Flooding U.S. With Opioid Prescriptions”. Dr. Jonathan Chen, a doctor and researcher at Stanford University Medical Center told NPR that patients are receiving about twice the amount of narcotics that would be considered normal. “We're 5% of the world's population, but we consume 80% of the world's prescription opioids.”Researchers are pointing at doctors as enablers of the problem - using narcotics as a cure-all for chronic pain and as a quick fix for issues that should be treated with a healthier lifestyle: things like physical therapy, nutrition, and exercise. Also a problem? Dentists. Just in case you needed another reason to floss.Please be sure to like, subscribe, provide a five-star rating, and write a review. It's free to you and means the world to me. Thank you for listening, and I'll catch you tomorrow.